Clothes-washing apparatus



1626,397 Aprll 26, 1927. H. G. DUGAN CLOTHES WASHING APPARATUS Filed 001; 19, 1925 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 April 26, 1927.

H. e. DUGAN cnowass usame APPARATUS Filed oct. 19, 1925 4 Sheets-Shaet 2 Eiz 72 GZu (37a,

I 1,626,397 A 1927' H. e. DUGAN CLOTHES WASHING APPARATUS Filed 001;. 19, 1925 I 4 Sheets-Sheet & I 5771 G I z yazz, I.

Patented Apr. 26, 1927.

PATENT, OFFICE.

HUGH G. DUGAN, 0F HINSDALE, ILLINOIS.

CLOTHES-WASHING APPARATUS.

Application filed October 19, 1925. Serial No. 63,220.

The mechanism of the present invention is intended primarily for use in connection with bath tubs of the standard type for the purpose of transforming the bath tub temporarily into a clothes washmg a paratus, and the invention has particular re erence to the provision of means for radially and convenientlyinstalling the apparatus 1n or removing it from the bath tub, so thatat may be employed as occasion may require for washing clothes.

Further objects will appear from a detailed description of the inventlon in connection with the accompanying drawings, wherein Figure 1 is a side elevation of the apparatus installed and ready for use in a bath tub, the latter being shown in section;

Fig. 2 is a perspective View showing the apparatus mounted upon a movable stand provided for its reception when not in use;

Fig. 3 is anelevation of the apparatus installed, the view being taken at right angles to that of Fig. 1;

Fig. 4 is a perspective view of the trackway for mounting theapparatus upon the bath tub;

Fig. 5- is a perspective ers employed; and h Fig. 6 is. a modification showlng the method of mounting the apparatus on-a double laundry tub, the latter being shown in section.

The washing elements comprising the present apparatus are carried by a movable view of the dashplatform 10 of elongated rectangular formation, and of a size to substantially s an the width of a standard bath tub. The p atform is provided with rollers 11 which are mounted upon rails 1 carried by a track 13, best shown in Fig. 4, wh1ch track comprises side bars 14 and cross bars 15 and 16, the latter of which serves as a stop for abutting against the side wall of a bath tub 17, being preferably provided with a cush-' ioning surface 18 for preventing injury to the surface of the tub. The ends of the side rails 14 are also provided with pads or cushions 19 for contact with the upper rolled top edge 20 of the tub.

The platform 10 is provided on' each of its side edges with a hanger plate 21 secured by hinges 22 which permit the hangers,

when in use, to be dropped down, as indi-. cated' in Fig. 1, but also permit them ,to

be lifted and folded back to overlie the upper surface of the platform when not in .7

use, as indicated in Fig. 2.

The hangers when lowered into operative position,are spaced apart the width of the platform and depend below the side bars of the track and closely embrace and bear against the same, so that they not only serve as hangers for the support of the dasher mechanism, but also serve to steady the platform and the operating mechanism carried cured within truss shaped cross beams 25;

The cross beams serve as mountings for a pair of dasher boards 26 which extend parallel to one another and in spaced relation, and which are secured to the ends of the beams 25 by the provision of straps 27, the upper ends of which are pivoted to "the proximate ends of the cross beams, and the lower ends of which are carried by bracket clips 28 upstanding from the dash boards 26.

This method of securing the dash boards to thecross beams permits the dash boards to be moved up and down and be operated in horizontal planes despite the varying angle assumed by the cross beams in their cycle of movements.- The arrangement is that'of a walking beam hingedly support-f ing the two sets of dash elements which extend lengthwise of the tub in right angle relation to the transverse position of the track above.

Each of the dash boards 26 affords a mounting for a plurality of cup shaped flexible dashers 29 arranged in nows. as indicated, and secured to the overl ing dash board bythe provision of depen mg studs 30 which enter the necks 31 of the respective cup shaped dashers. It is preferred to make the dashers of rubber or similar material which will spread sli htly when engaging the clothes being washed, and will tend to create more or less of a suction which better serves to force the water through the fabric. I

-In order to impart the rocking motion required in operating the dashers, a crank arm 32-isprovided which is mounted on the end of a shaft 33 extending through a gear reduction box 34 containing suitable reducing gears, not shown, which are actuated,

through pulley and belt connections driven by a motor 36 which is preferably supported upon the gear box, which latter is fixedly mounted upon the platform 10.

The motion of the crank is imparted to one of the dash boards through the medium of a pitman 37. which is provided with an upper journal head 38 adapted to removably engage the crank pin, and the pitman at its lower end is entered into a socket 39 carried by a hinge 40 secured to the underlying dash board, the hinge being provided to compensate for the circulatory movement of the crank pin. This arrangement serves to impart alternate up and down movements to one of the dash boards, which movements are imparted in alternation to the companion dash boards through the walking beam connections. In addition to the dasher mechanism heretofore described, the platform 10'serves as" a support for a wringer 41 which is mounted upon an upstanding board 42 by means ofscrew clamps 43' which enable the wringer as a whole. to be adjusted lengthwise of the bar 42 or to be removed therefrom, if desired. The wringer comprises upper and lower rollers 44 and 45, of the usual character, which are driven by gearing 46, and the lowermost roller shaft 47 has mount-ed thereon a crank arm 48 ending in a socket head 49 adapted to engage the crank pin 32 when the pitman is disconnected from the crank pin, so that by shoving up the wringer toward the crank pin, the parts may be brought in registry and the wringer driven by the same power employed to drive the dashen; The wringer in discharging the clothes, allows the water to drain back through a sloping chute or runway 50 which may be lifted up proximate hanger.

sufliciently to permit the plate 21 to 'be folded back thereunder, as indicated in Fig. 2.

The mechanism heretofore described .is employed in conjunction with a sta nd 51 provided with corner posts 52 mounted upon rollers 53, which stand is provided alon its top with a pair of track bars 54 whic support rails 55 spaced to align with the rails on the track bars 13, so that the washer mechanism can be easily and conveniently rolled from the stand onto the tub or removed therefrom as occasion may require. The stand is preferably provided with an inner hamper 56 which occupies the space subtended by the posts 52, and this hamper affords a suitable and convenient storage place for the storing of soiled or clean clothes, or for the storing of the dasher elements when the washing apparatus is not in use.

Fig. 6 is a diagrammatic elevation of a modification of the present invention intended for use with double laundry tubs,

only so much of the apparatus being shown in detail as is special to this modification.

the wringer is mounted on rollers 66 adapted to move the elements supported on the platform from one tubto another, as oocasion may require. In this instance, it will be noted that the dasher elements are directly supported from the trackways and not from the platform as in the arrangement first described, but the method of opcrating the dashers and the wringer is identical in the two cases.

When it is desired to use the bath tub for clothes washing purposes, the track shown in Fig. 4, is first laid across the center of the bath tub after which the stand supporting the washing elements is rolled into position to bring, its track into the companion track, and thereupon the platform supporting the wringer and drivmg mechanism is rolled into position to bring the hinged hangers above the center of, the tub. The hangers are then folded down and the dasher mechanism, shown in Fig. 5, is pivotedbetween the hangers, and

the pitman is fitted to the crank pin after which the motor may be started and the washing begun. 1

After the clothes have been sufiiciently washed, the pitman will be removed from the crank pin and the wringer shoved up sufficiently to bring itscrank arm into regis try with the crank pin on the speed reducer, after which the clothes may be, passed through the wringer and out upon suitable 0r convenient supports provided to receive them. With the completion of the washing andwringing operations, the dasher elements may be stored away within the hamper provided in the stand, and the platform rolled back to position on top of the stand, after which the stand may be rolled away and stored until-required for further use.

In the modification shown in Fig. 6, one of the tubs may be used for the first washing and the other tub used for rinsing or bluing. After the clothes have been washed in the first tub, the dasher elements may be removed and installed within the second tub and the motor and wringerrolled into position to continue the washing operation in the second tub. This will permit the alignment with draining of the first tub and its use as a receptacle for the wrung out clothes during the wringing operation. The method of hinging the trackways, shown in Fig. 6, makes it more easy and convenient to connect the dasher elements with either of the two hangers.

The arrangement is one which is intended primarily for use in flats or apartments or under like conditions where space is restricted and where it is desirable to employ the bath tub for adouble purpose. The arrangement for mounting the washer elements on the stand greatly promotes convenience in use, since it not only affords a neat and attractive mounting for the washing apparatus, but also greatly facilitates the transfer of the same from the storage place to the point of use, and permits the heavier and more cumbersome portions of the mechanism to be easily rolled into position above the tub, so that no difficulty may be experienced in assembling the parts and arranging them for use.

I claim:

1. In a washing apparatus in combination with a tub, a removable trackway extending across the tub and supported upon the edges thereof, a platform provided with rollers adapted to run upon said trackway, a pair of hangers hingedly mounted on said platform and adapted to be turned down below the level of the platform, a pair of spaced dash boards, a walking beam mounting therefor removably pivoted between said hangers, dashers carried by said dash boards, a motor carried by the platform, and a detachable connection between the motor and one of said dash boards for actuating the dashers, substantially as described.-

2. In a washing apparatus, the combination of driving elements, a support therefor, a pair of hangers depending from said support, a pair of dash boards below said hangers, and a walking beam frame pivotal- 1 ly mounted in said hangers and l1avin its ends connected respectively to said dash boards, dashers carried by the dash boards, and apitman connecting one of said dash boards with the driving elements, substantially as described.

In a washing apparatus in combination with a tub, a removable trackway extending transversely of the tub and supported upon the edges thereof, a platform provided with rollers adapted to run upon said trackway, a pair of hangers secured to said platform and adjustablefrom a position depending below the plane of the platform to a position above said plane, a pair of spaced dash boards, a walking beam mounting therefor removably pivoted between said hangers when in depending position, dashers carried by said dash boards, amotor carried by the platform, and a detachable connection between the motor and one of said dash boards for actuating the dashers, substantially as.

described.

HUGH e. DUGAN. 

